Last summer two mining companies applied for special exceptions to allow development of separate mines in southeastern and northeastern Baker County. After much discussion, changes to its proposal and a few false starts in the local planning process, one of the companies, Oldcastle Southern Group of Tampa, is ready to move forward. The company recently received its final environmental permit ... Read More »

The BCHS Wildcat weight lifting team hosted the final sectional meet for the FHSAA State Qualifying series on Saturday, April 6 and continued their dominance of the section, qualifying all 15 lifters allowed by the state for this meet. In sectional competition the first place finisher gets the automatic bid to the state meet. The second, third and fourth place finishers’ ... Read More »

Chris Adams of Macclenny really loves Krispy Kreme donuts. So when the location on Cassat Avenue reopened on May 28 after a seven-plus-year closure, and promised free donuts to the first 100 customers, Mr. Adams had to be there. He recruited his reluctant girlfriend, Christie Rutland, 29, to spend the night at the Krispy Kreme to ensure their place in ... Read More »

Children at the Prek-Kindergarten Center welcomed back spring last week at the school’s 2013 Spring Fling, a day of games, music and snow cones with parents and teachers. Groups of children rounded the various stations — tug of war, sack race, bounce houses and others — while fast-paced music pumped from speakers and parents snapped photos of their kids playing. ... Read More »

File this column away in the “D’ya ever notice?” folder. I’ve been writing, and many of you have been reading, what the business used to call the “police blotter” for more years than, well, more years than many of you readers have been alive. Hometown crime has evolved somewhat over those decades. Now if you beat your wife, it isn’t ... Read More »

Sneakers, a large male tabby cat, escaped from its owner's vehicle in Macclenny recently, after spending three days traveling from the West Coast en route to Rockledge, Florida in Brevard County. Local authorities were able to wrangled the cat from a culvert and reunite Sneakers with Michelle MacDonald last week.